Cribbing



Aug. 16, 1932.

E. C. ALEXANDER Filed Nov. 5, 1931 GRIBBING 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug, 16, 1932. E. c. ALEXANDER GRIBBING Filed Nov. 5. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 16, 1932. E. C..ALEXANDER s fl CRIBBING Filed Nov. 5. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 i @21 (ffiiemrder formations.

Patented Aug. 1 6, 1932 UNITEDKSTAT'ES ATENT osr ce EARL ALEXANDERVOF GLEN .ELLYN, ILLINoIs, AssieNon To iviA'ssnr CONCRETE rnonuors CORPORATION, or HICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA CRIBBING- Application filed November 5, 1931. .Serial ITO-5737,1170.

The present invention relates to cribbing and is particularly concerned with the-pro vision of an improved cribbing of the closed face, flush type which has important advantages not present in any of'the cribbin-gs of the prior art.

One of the most popular forms of cribbing employs concrete members alternately and transversely laid uponeach other, the stretch ers consisting Of members of regular rec tangular cross section and the headers beingprovided with T-shaped 'formationsfor retaining the stretchers in place. One of'the disadvantages of a cribbing of this typelies in the fact that there are spaces'or openings in the forward cribbing wall-through which the ba-c'liiill may be washed out and the T-sh'aped formations-onthe'headers pro ject beyond the front stretcher wall where they are exposed in such manner that the interlocking formations might be broken off.

Furthermore, such a cribbing-does not present a finished appearance and one of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved form of cribbing havina a substantially closed face and-having aflush t e face in which there are no projecting headers nor exposed interlocking Another obiect of the invention is the provision of an improved frontstretcher unit which is adapted to be used with certain cribbines to transform the cribbine's from the open and projecting header type to the closed face. and fiushtype. 7 I

An other'obiect oft-he invention is the provision of an imnroved cribbing assembly in which the stretchers interlock with the hea ders and prevent the headers from moving-in alateral direction. and in which the headers prevent movement of the stretchers'in a direction. transverse 'to the face of the wall.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved cribbing having a fro t wall formed of members of regular recta? .ar formation with drainage slots which a *e substantially concealed so that the front cribbing wall presents the finished appearance of a we .lof masonry.

Another object of the invention is the provision ofan improved cribbing assembly, including'improved metallic interlocking members which are adapted to secure the StI6l3Chers together and also to secure the stretchers to the headers;

Another objectof the invention isthe pro-' Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views. '7

Referring to the three sheets of drawings accompanying this description, y 1

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of. a cribbing structure according to the present invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the cribbing of Fig. 1 with the interlocking devices shown in partialsection and the filling omitted;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the cribbing taken on the plane of the line 3--3 of Fig'IQ looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of one of the interlocking clamping members'employed in Figslto3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the same clamping member;

Fig. 6 is a'fragnientaryview of two facing stretchers with'the interlocking fixtures used in securing these stretcher's'to the othercribbing members;

Fig.7 is atop plan view ofanother modification in partial section; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the same modification with therear cribbing wall in section.

- Referring to Figs. '1 and '2, the front stretcher units or facingistretchers are indifacing stretchers 1012 are also preferably provided with substantially plane end surfaces 16, 17, but it should be noted that if desired complementary formations of any kind may be used on the edges of the facing unit, provided they are adapted to engage and fit complementary formations upon other adj acent front stretcher units. j

The facing 13 is preferably provided with a beveled surface 18 extending around its boundary and the lower edge of each front stretcher unit lO-12 is preferably formed with a slot 19 which is preferably as deep as the vertical projection of the beveled surface 18 on the face 13 of the stretcher. The slot 19 is adapted. to provide drainage for the front cribbing wall without, however, permitting any of the backfill to run out of the face of the wall.

The construction of the complete cribbing is shown in Fig. 2 in which 20 indicates the rear stretcher units which comprise pre-cast concrete members having plane rectangular sides and ends. The cribbing may also comprise an intermediate .stretcher wall 21 consisting of the same stretcher units 20 located at the front end of the headers 22. The headers 22 also comprise'pre-castconcrete members which are provided with substantially plane rectangular. sides but the headers are preferably provided with vertically extending lugs 23, 24 for engaging outside of the stretchers to' retain the stretchers in proper position. The length of the lugs 23, 24 is preferably less than half the vertical depth of a stretcher 20 so that the headers and stretchers rest upon each other in the transverse position in which they have been placed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. j V

The present front cribbing unit 13 may be utilized with many different types of cribbing construction for providing a closed face or finishing wall which covers the interlocking parts of the headers and also covers the spaces between the headers and stretchers. In the mentary view of the ends of two adjacent front stretchers 10, 11 and willfirst be described. Each of the fixtures 25, 26 may. beidentical in principal "but diametrically opposite in certain elements of'itsshape.

The fixtures 25 and 26'a1e both preferably provided with attaching flanges 27 v and the attaching flanges may be provided with anchoring formations adapted to be embedded in the concrete of the'facing blocks 10 and 11 if desired. For greater convenience in the molding of the facing blocks these fixtures 25, 26 preferably have their attaching flanges 27 provided with apertures 28, two or more in number, in order to prevent any movement of the fixtures 25, 26 with respect to the facing blocks 10, 11.

One mode of securing the fixtures 25, 26

to the facing blocks consists in providing each block with a pair of rearwardly projecting rods 29, 30, the rods being spaced from each other far enough to register with the apertures 28. The rods are preferably po-rtions of a common metal rod having a U-shaped formation 31 joining its ends and having lateral bends 82for the purpose of permittingthe main body '83 of the rods to extend longitudinally of the facing blocks 10.

Such rods may be very conveniently secured in a form by merely providing two circular bores in the form at the proper point and the ends of the U-shaped rod are driven into the circular bores a distance equal to the amount of length ofthe rod which itis desired to have project from the block.'

The rods 29. 30 are preferably small enough so that they can be convenientlv bent over toward each other as. shown in Fig. 6 or away from each other. but if desired the rods may be riveted over in the apertures 28 to secure the fixtures on the blocks. .A few blows with the hammer will readily bend over the relatively slender rods and the fixtures can be secured on the blocks after the blocks have been cured, thereby eliminating thenecessity for making special provision in the form to receive the fixtures 25. 26.

Referring to the right hand block 11 it will be observed that the rearwardlv projecting portions 29'and 30 of the rods may be bent apart as at 34, thus forming verticallv extending shoulders in the rods which are adapted to engage the inside of the form. The vertically extending portion 34 auto-- matically spaces the securing rods in the format-the proper point with the ends 29 and 30 projecting the proper amount. I

The rods 29 and 30 may be provided with any kind of anchoring formations for securement in the pre-cast concrete facing blocks 10, 11 and alternate formations are also shown in Figs. '2 and 8. Referring to Fig. 2 itwill be noted that the ends of the rods may be threaded andprovided with nuts if desired, butthe mode of securement shown in Fig.6 is more economical than threaded rods.

The fixtures 25 and 26 are each provided with 'rearwardly and laterally extending flanges 35,36. These flanges may be substantially equal in width and they may slope in opposite directions at equal angles to the attaching flanges .27 at the top and at the bottom. YHowever, the flanges I35. and-.36

do not extend vertically but they. also taper inwardtoward the top and-are farther apart It will thus be evident that the outside sur faces 41, 42 of these flanges are adapted to act as camming surfaces, the spacing of which increases in amount from the top to the bottom of the pair of fixtures. The fixtures are not identical because the flanges slope inoppo site directions to provide a wedging action, and it would be found if the fixture 26 were turned over adjacent the fixture that this flanges sloped in the opposite directionwit respect to a vertical line.

The clamping fixture 25 which is shown in Fig. 4 is provided with internal sloping surfaces 43, 44 which are complementary to the external sloping surfaces 41, 42 on the fixtures 25. 26. This fixture 25 is provided with a substantially flat metallic body 45 which car rice the two diagonally extending flanges 46,

47 located at the edges 48, 49 of the body and extending diagonally toward each other.

The angle a betweenthe flanges 46, 47 and the body 45 is an acute angle corresponding to the acute angle between the flanges and 36 and the bodies o-fthe fixtures 25' and 26. The space between the flanges 46 and 47 tapers in width toward the top so that the clamping member 50 can be wedged on the fixtures 25 and 26. Thus the flanges 46 and47 are farther apart at the lower end 51 of the body than they are at the upper end 52 of'the body 45. I

'Referring to Fig. 5, the vertical slope of the clampingflanges 46 and 47 is more readily seen in this front elevation. The fixtures 25 and 26 are so located and spaced from each other on the facing blocks 10 and 11 that'when the clamping member is placed with flanges 46 and 47 behind flanges .35 and 36 the clamping member 50 may be wedged j downward and finally struck with a hammer'to driveit home and, draw the facing blocks 10 and 11 together. The clamping member may also be secured to the stretcher by a U-shaped rod like rod 33 ofFig. 6.

Such a clamping member with facing blocks having plane surfaces 16'and 17 is su'iiicient in itself to secure a series of blocks together and hold them in predetermined position and I do not wish to be limited in every case to the. particular construction which also'includes the securement of the facing blocks to the-headers.

The clamping members 50 are, however,

preferably provided with a 'rearwardly extending body 53'and a base or other anchoring formation 54 adapted to be embeddedin the concrete of the headers 22 as shown in Fig. 2. In other embodiments of the invention the body 45 may be provided witha pair of apertures 55for receiving the bolts 56 which have their'body provided 'withan anchoring formation or'with a nut and washer 57 58 embedded in the concrete of the headers: 22.

It will thus be observed that the facing may be laid at the same time that the cribbing is laid and when a pair of facingblockslO and 11 havebe'en laid end to end as shown in Fig. 6, the corresponding header may be laid from above behind the facing blocks with its clamping member engaging the fixtures 25, 26 and the clamping member may be drivendown to draw the facing slabs together and securethe facing slabs to the header.

It should also be understood that the present facing slabs may be utilized with other types of cribbings for enclosing and protecting the interlocking formations and projecting headers or providing a finished wall on any type of cribbing or masonry wall.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be noted that the front wall 21 may be omitted if desired and spacer blocks 59 may be used between the front ends of the hea'ders22 for supporting the headers at the proper elevation, or the front stretcher and metal fix-1 tures may support the ends of the headers.

Each of the spacer blocks is provided with downwardly and upwardly extendingglugs 60, 61 oneach side ofthe'hea'der 22 and these lugs are adapted to maintain the headers in vertical alignment with each other. In other embodiments of the invention the spacersmay be eliminated entirely and the spacing accomplished by the engagement of the vertiformations. 7 It should also be noted that the present cribbing includes improved securing devices which may be used for securing facing blocks of any kindupon-a suitable support. v

The present securing devices are absolutely "106 cally extending lugs "23, 24- on the-headers 22, Y since the headers are positively secured certain and positive in their action and they r can not be dislodged by any: forces which might bebrought to bear upon the facing blocks under ordinary conditions. At the same time the cribbing may be readily taken apart by merely striking an upward blow on the clamping member and. the structures which are constructed with the present securing devices may be taken apartwithout a great deal of difficulty, provided the me-.

tallic securing devices have not'become rusty, and they may be galvanized to prevent rust. The metallic members 25, 26, 50' may be made out of malleable iron or .in other cases they may be made out of cast-steel or other suitable metal.

While'I have illustrated and described a i preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,'and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set'forth, but desire to avail 1. myself'of all changes within the'scope of the two adjacent blocks and having oppositely sloping camming surfaces, and a clamping member having complementarycamming surfaces oppositely disposed to the surfaces on said fixtureswhereby .saidjblocks are drawn together and secured together when said clamping member is placed on said fixtures.

2. A concrete facing assembly comprising a pair of concrete facing blocks each having substantially plane faces, planeupper and lower bearing surfaces and plane ends with a pair of securing fixtures carried by the rear side of said facing blocks, said fixtures being located adjacent each other-at one edge of two adjacent blocksand having oppositely sloping camming surfaces oppositely disposed to the surfaces on said fixtures whereby said blocks are drawn together and secured together when said clamping member is placed on said fixtures, said fixtures being provided with apertures and metallic members in said concrete blocks and'having theirends secured in" said apertures.

3. In a concrete cribbing the combination ofa plurality of longitudinally extending stretchers and transversely extending headers laid alternately and-transversely upon each other to form a cribbing with ity of facing slabs, said slabs having substantially plane faces and having c0mple mentary end and edge surfaces for engaging ad acent slabs, and metallic-interlocking J members for securing adjacent slabs together and securing said slabs to said cribbing, said metallic interlocking members comprising complementary wedging fittings carried by said slabs and said headers. v I

A cribbing header comprising a pre-cast concrete member having a substantially rec-. tangular cross section andhaving transversely extending lugs at each end with a clamping member carried by the end 'ofsaid cribbing, said clamping member comprising a metallic pluralbody with means carried by said body and embedded insaidheader, and a pair of forwardly projecting and diagonally inwardly extending flanges carried by saidbody, sa1d flanges sloping also toward each other at one end.

I 5. A cribbing header comprising a pre-cast concrete member having a substantially rec tangular cross section and having transversely extending lugs'at each end with a clamping member carried by the end of said cribbing, said clamping member comprising a metallic body, and a pair offorwardly projecting and diagonally inwardly extending flanges carried by said body, said flanges sloping also toward each other at one end, said body being provided with an aperture and a bolt passing through said aperture and embeddedin said pre-cast concrete unit. i

'6. A concrete cribbing comprising a plurality of headers having substantially rectangular lugs projecting laterally at each end with a plurality of stretchers of substantially rectangular cross section laid alternately and transversely on said headers, spacing members for supporting the forward ends of said headers in spaced relation, a plurality of facing slabs "each having a substantially plane face and complementary edge and end engaging surfaces, and interlocking means carried by said headers and slabs for securing said slabs to said headers.

7.. A concrete cribbingicomprising a plurality of headers having substantially rectangular lugs projecting laterally ateach end with a plurality of stretchers of substantial 1y rectangular cross section laid alternately and transversely on said headers, spacing members for supporting theforward ends of said headers in spaced relation, a plurality of facing slabs each having a substantially plane face and complementary edge and end engaging surfaces, and lnterlocking means carried by said headers and slabs for securing said slabs to said headers, said slabs being provided with beveled surfaces about their faces and a drainage slot located in one side of each slab, said drainage slot extending from the boundaryof one ofsaidbeveled surfaces to the rear side of said slabs.

8. A concrete cribbing assembly comprising aheader, a pair of stretchers having'their ends abutting against each other and their ends located adjacent the end of said header, a pair of metallic fixtures and a clamping member carried by said header and two stretchers, said clamping member having camming surfaces for sliding engagement with said fixtures and being adapted to draw said header and stretchers together.

9. In a concrete cribbing, the combination of a pair of longitudinally extending stretchers formed of concrete and each having a. plurality of plane exterior surfaces, the ends of said stretchers abutting each other, with a pair of fittings, one carried by the end of each stretcher, each fitting having an outwardly projecting and downwardly spreading camming flange, and a clamping fitting having a pair of complementary inwardly.

projecting and downwardly spreading camming flanges adapted to be wedged over the camming flanges on the fittings of said stretchers to earn said stretchers together and secure them in predetermined position.

10. In a concrete cribbing, the combination 7 of a pair of longitudinally extending stretchers formed of concrete and each having a plurality of plane exterior surfaces, the ends of said stretchers abutting each other, with a pair "of fittings, one carried by the end of each stretcher, each fitting having an outwardly projecting and downwardly spreading camming flange, and a clamping fitting having a pair of complementary inwardly projecting and downwardly spreading camming flanges adapted to be wedged over the camming flanges on the fittings of said stretchers to cam said stretchers together and secure them in predetermined position, said clamping member having an integral anchoring formation and a transverse header member extending downwardly from said stretcher members and having the anchoring formation of said clamping member embedded in said header.

11. In a concrete cribbing, the combination or" a pair of longitudinally extending stretchers formed of concrete and each having a plurality of planeexterior surfaces,

the ends of said stretchers abutting each other, with a pair of fittings, one carried by the end of each stretcher, each fitting having an outwardly projecting and downwardly spreading camming flange, and a clamping fitting having a pair of complementary in wardly projecting and downwardly spreading camming flanges adapted to be wedged over the camming flanges on the fittings of said stretchers to cam said stretchers together and secure them in predetermined position, said clamping member being pro-. vided with an aperture, a concrete header member extending transversely to said stretchers and backwardly from said stretchers, and a securing member embedded in said header, having its end passing through said aperture in said clamping member to secure said clamping member on said header.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2 day of November, 1931.

EARL C. ALEXANDER. 

